Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection A colour photograph of a member of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) supervising the traning of Chinese (Nung) Mercanaries at the Mike Force Training Area, Marble Mountain, Danang, 2 Corps region of South Vietnam.photograph, aattv, chinese nung mercenaries, marble mountain, 2 corps, mike force, gibbons collection catalogue, denis gibbons, photographer, vietnam war, australian army training team vietnam (aattv), mike force training area, danang

Because of their Chinese ethnicity, the Nung were not considered to be Vietnamese citizens. Therefore, they could not be conscripted into the South Vietnamese army (ARVN). So, they hired themselves out as mercenaries, guns for hire, to the US military. Half-body image of Nung mercenary CIDG soldier carrying rifle over his right shoulder and a full backpack. His uniform is tiger camouflage. Two other Nung soldiers in background, both with packs. One has ammunition box. CIDG = Civilian Irregular Defence Group.nung, battle of ngok tavak, indigenous, cidg, mercenary